Editorial: Grocery stores can be game-changers in southern Dallas

In most of North Texas, a new grocery store likely would be greeted with a shrug — or perhaps a vague interest in whether it offers double coupons.

But in southern Dallas, grocery stores are celebrated. They are welcomed with grand openings, ribbon cuttings and elected officials lauding progress. In many neighborhoods south of downtown, a grocery store fills a gaping hole in a barren retail landscape and offers hope that other businesses could follow.

So, the news that Wal-Mart will build three new stores in the southern half of the city and that Kroger will renovate an existing location is a potential game-changer for neighborhoods in need of a boost.

Wal-Mart’s expansion plans include a Supercenter and two Neighborhood Markets in southern Dallas. And Kroger has committed to a $2 million upgrade of the store that anchors the Wynnewood Village Shopping Center.

These are significant investments in long-neglected areas. And in retail, development often begets more development. So, if these stores thrive in southern Dallas, other businesses might give it a go as well.

But most important, a new grocery store improves residents’ basic quality of life.

The lack of a supermarket makes a neighborhood a little less livable. It means trekking miles away — perhaps to a neighboring suburb — to buy bananas or tomatoes. It means settling for what’s readily available nearby — mostly fast food and convenience-store fare.

Not having easy access to a grocery store is one more inconvenience in a part of town that’s already saddled with more than its fair share of challenges.

Locking down these commitments was a team effort involving a number of city officials. But credit now-former mayor Tom Leppert, who aggressively pursued Wal-Mart and then closed the deal during his final days in office. And City Council member Dave Neumann deserves praise for his dogged efforts to persuade Kroger to renovate its Wynnewood Village store.

Voters, too, helped spur progress by approving the alcohol referendum in November, clearing the way for grocery stores in these neighborhoods to sell beer and wine. There’s no doubt that going “wet” will continue to help tip the scales as businesses consider whether to invest in southern Dallas.

While grocery stores are certainly a necessity, residents rightly note that they aren’t a cure-all for areas that are lacking a long list of basic amenities. And a few neighborhood leaders have even lamented that Wal-Mart wasn’t exactly what they had in mind as they sought to make blocks more walkable and livable.

People may have different ideas about what progress looks like, but Wal-Mart’s expansion and Kroger’s investment signal developers’ interest in southern Dallas. Where grocery stores go, bookstores and coffee shops may follow.

But for now, the prospect of having fresh produce and a Supercenter down the street is good news for southern Dallas.

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